A quick peruse through the internet after searching for the first water-cooled 911 yields results of widely differing opinions. Things like, "it's just a bigger Boxster motor," "cheap, plastic interior," "what was Porsche thinking," and "don't get me started on the fried egg headlights." But, there is also a myriad of love given for the 911 that was the first real factory mass-produced 911. With statements like "Refinement in the drive," "better than previous 911s," and "sophistication without straying away too far from the original," Porsche collectors are now starting to see the value in these cars that share components with its little sister, the 986 Boxster. For those that hate on the 996 keep this little tidbit in mind, without going the route of shared components or the modern manufacturing processes, the Porsche we know and enjoy today may not have happened.